Earth anchor



May 18, 1954 c. R. PIEPER EARTH ANCHOR Filed 01:1. 19, 1951 ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 18, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Chester BQ Pieper, Ladue, St. Louis County, Mo. Application October 19, 1951, Serial No. 252,124

This invention relates to improvements in earth anchors, and more particularly to improvements in an expansion device of this character which presents a four lobed expansion type anchor of simplified, highly durable construction and relatively low manufacturing cost.

An important objective realized by theanchor assembly is in the novel operative interconnection of two double lobed blade members. Each blade member includes two earth-gripping blades or lobes connected by an integral intervening metal plate. and arranged that one is capable of overlying the other, with the longitudinal axes of the respective blade members disposed in right angular relation. The nested or underlying blade member provides opposed ears or lugs which extend upwardly from the lateral margins of the connecting metal plate, the lugs projecting through accommodating apertures formed in the intervening plate portion of the overlying blade member, and bending inwardly to positively grip and position the lobes in a right angle relation. These lugs afford percussion surfaces that receive the blows of the tamping tool. When the folded assembly is inserted in the pre-formed hole, these ears will continue to lock the blades in their proper relative alignment as they are spread or distended. into gripping relation with the surrounding soil] The objects above expressed and others implied from the description to follow will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a Single preferred embodiment, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the earth anchor assembly, the blade members thereof in theirv folded position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the anchor assembly as seen in a plane taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; the dotted lines represent the blade members in their spread or extended positions;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the anchor assembly as seen in a plane taken along line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the connecting integral metal plate and web portions of the nesting and overlying blade members respectively.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, it is readily apparent from Fig. 1, that the four blade type expansion earth anchor assembly includes a pair of double lobe blade members. Each blade member consists of two earthgripping blades or lobes l connected by an in- These blade members are so constructed 2 Claims. (01.,189-92) tive to the center zone thereof, and each contains' tegral intervening metal plate H, and is prefen-i ablystamped from a single blank of relatively heavy gauge sheet metal material. --'I hese blade member are so designed and are: ranged that in folded assembly, as shown in Figs; 1, 2 and 3, they are nested, one overlying theother,-- but disposedin such position that the respective longitudinal axes thereof are in a right angle relation. Referring again to Figs. 2 and 3; the connecting plate portion I l of the blade members, which are in the folded, non-gripping o'r initial assembly, presents a ubstantially fiat-hori-- zontal surface with the depending lobes l0 extending downwardly, the arcuate outer edges 12 there-- of seating upon the rounder peripheral edge [3 of the blade-expanding member, designated gener-' ally at l4 and described more fully later. 7 The connecting integral metal plate of the nested or under blade member l5 contains a circularaperture H5 at the intersection of the trans-- verse and longitudinal axes thereof, accommodating the reception of the anchor rod ll. Two ears: or lugs 18 are formed from the lateral margins IS- of the plate portion and project upwardly through compatible ear receiving slots 20 formed" in the rounded connecting region of the plate 'H and lobes H] of the overlying blade member'Zl. This latter plate portion also contains a' circu lar aperture 22 in its central zone, in register with that formed in the underlying blade member t5, for the insertion of the anchor rod ll. Two rec-j tangular openings 23' are stamped in the over-' lying plate member, one on each side of the anchor rod aperture 22 through and symmetrical with the transverse axis of the blade member 2!, sub'- stantially reducing the cross sectional area along the axis. These rectangular openings 23 are so situated that there remains only a small metal' area between the inner edges 24 thereof and the circular aperture 22, while relatively considerably more area exists between the outer edge 25 thereof to the lateral margins of the web plate mem'-- ber. v Each blade or lobe Ill is curved such that' its outer arcuate edge 12 is directed upwardly role-- a' relatively deep pressed rib 26 extending along. the longitudinal axis, the rib 26 strengthening the lobes 10 against transverse bending stresses. The

margins'bf the overlying blade member zl, con

necting the outer arcuate edges l2'thereof, have a slight inward curving leading from the arcuate tip l2 merging with an outwardly and upwardly turning flange 21 formed along each side of ap proximately the upper one-half portion of the blades In. Th margins, connecting the arcuate edges l2 of the underlying blade member I 5, converge upwardly to the integral intervening plate portion. The lobes Ill of the latter blade member l5 also contain outwardly turning flanges 28 in the same region as do the blades of the overlying member 2l. The existence of these flanges in the respective blade member permits the shown and described inter-fitting relation, and yet provides the maximum :amount of =earth-grippin'g blade area.

The strain plate M is stamped from a blank of heavy gauge material, and is provided with a circular aperture 29 in the central zone thereof which permits the insertion of the anchor rod A flat horizontal area 30 immediatlysur I'l. rounds the anchor rod opening 29, the-remaining upper surface 3| of the spreading element I l slopes downwardly from the central horizontal area 30 to a rounded down-turned peripheral .fiange32 adapted toguide and direct the lobes l0 into distended earth engaging positions upon tamping of the anchor. .A wire 33 is inserted through an opening 34 in the outermost portion of-the arcuate tip l2 of each lobe l0, throughcorresponding openings 35 near-the peripheryof the strain plate It, and is twisted to lock the blade members in foldedassembly, until sheared :free by theinitial blows of the percussion tool.

.Secured as by welding to the underneathsurface of theblade-spreading member 54, around the anchor rod aperture 25, is a nut retaining element 36.. The nut retainer 36 contains two different cross sectional compartments as shown inI-igs. 2 and 3, the wall of the larger upper portion .31 rounding slightly into the smaller lower portion 38. This construction-will permit various size nuts to be used depending upon the size anchor rod I! employed. The lower surface of the nut retainer 36 contains a circularopening .39

through which the rod l1 extends, andisalso provided with small downwardly turning-lips 40 dependingfrom the circular opening 39, the lips -40 providing a bearing surface for the rod I7 preventing excessive wobbling thereof. The rotationalm'ovement of the enclosed nut is revented by the nut retainer 36, thereby permitting the removal of the anchor rod I! while the anchor is in its spread operative position under ground.

. The initial assembly of the anchor is s'hown'by the drawing, the blade members folded. in the zone of .the connecting integral platemeinbers ll The blade member .2! containing the web plate, overlies theother member 15, being so disposed that. the respective longitudinal axes are in a right angular relation. The lower'arcuate tips l2 of the blades l0 seat upon the peripheral edge of the strain plate l4 and are locked in position by the inserted twisted wire 33. An anchor rod H is inserted through the uppermost circular apertures and through the rod opening 29 in the spreading element [4, to be threadedly engaged by the nut contained in the nut retainer.

For use in the field, a hole of desired depth is formed in the ground, .and the anchor assembly is inserted therein. A suitable tamping tool is employed to strike the horizontal connecting web portion of the overlying blade member 2|. 'The initial tamping blows shear "the wire and 'commence the penetration of the blades 10 into the surrounding earth.

Although the improvements have been described by making particularized reference to a single preferred embodiment, the detail of description is not to be understood as restrictive, numerous variants being possible within the principles disclosed and within the fair scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. An expansion earth anchor comprising two blade members, each thereof being integrally formed'and providing a pair of earth-engaging lobes and an intermediate portion or plate defined 'between spaced transverse bending zones, said blade members being arranged with their longitudinal axes in right angular relation and with the-plate of' one superimposed upon the plate of the other, the width of the underlying plate being appreciably less than the width of the overlying plate, and substantially equal to the distance between the bending zones of the overlying plate, said overlying plate having slotted openings in its said bending zones, said underlyingplate having integral ears projecting from its side margins and extending through said slotted openings for securing said lates together, said plates having aligned central openings therein, an anchor rod extending through said opening, and a strain plate secured'to the lower end ofsaid anchor rod and-engaging the under surfaces of the blade lobes.

'2. In an. expansion earth anchor of the four blade type, a pair of blade members formed from elongate metal stamping's, said blade members arranged in respective underlying and overlying positions, having the longitudinal axes thereof disposed in a rightangle relation, opposed'lobes defining the end portions of the blade members, an intervening web portion integrally connecting the lobes of the overlying member, Ithes'aid web containinga circular central aperture for the reception of the anchor rod and rectangular apera strain plate having'an outwardly and downwardly sloping surface extending from a horizon-- tal central region and "a' "down-turned peripheral flange, said strain plate being adapted to guide and spread the lobesinto expanded earth gripping positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,724,341 Cole Aug. 13, 1929 2,570,646 Cole Oct. 19,1951 2,580,915 Hocher. Jan. 1, .1952 

